Improvement in blocking, stretching, and finishing hats



3 sheets-sheet 1. H. A. HOUSE & D. WHEELER.

Blocking, Stretching, and Pini-Shing Hats.

No. 212,554. Patented Feb. 25; 1879.

3 sheets-sheen H. A. HOUSE & D. WHEELER. Blocking, Stretching, and Finishing Hats. No. 212,554. Patented Feb. 25, 1879.

i :i I f fiiiiimlf gn-fgiinmllllllmmmmn|m iii N. PETERS, PNOYO-LITHQGRAPHER. WASMINGYON D C 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. H. A. HOUSE & D. WHEELER.

mocking, stretching, and PinishingHats. No. 212,554. Patented Feb. 25, 1879.

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'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HENRY A. HOUSE AND DWIGHT WHEELER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLOCKING, STRETCHING, AND FINISHING HATS..

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,554, dated February 25, 1879; application iiled November 23, 1878.

- To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRir A. HoUsE and DWIGHT "WHEELER, of Brigeport, Fairfield county, Connecticut, have invented Improvements in the Manufacture of Hats, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention is an apparatus constructed, as fully described hereinafter, to perform automatically the different operations required to iinish a felt hat, the same operating in a chamber in which the hat can be manipulated -under the action of steam or other iluid at any desired temperature.

In the drawings forming part of this speciiication, Figure 1 is an external view, showing one form of apparatus for carrying out our invention Fig. 2, a front view, the front of the casing removed; Figs. 3, 4, 5, detail views illustrating the operation of the devices 5 and Fig. 6, a section on the line l 2, Fig. 2.

A represents a casing or chamber within i which is located the hat-nishin g machine. '[t

will be understood, however, that any desired number of machines may be in one chamber.

-Opposite each machine is an opening closed by a sliding or swinging door, B, operated by a lever, C, at the top of the case, and on the -base are mounted an air-pump, D, and con- -denser E, communicating with each other,

- frame, G, having radial slotted arms b, in each of which is pivoted a block, c, socketed to receive the upper end of an arm, H. secured ad-l justably by a set-screw, e, in the block.

On a hollow shaft, a', sliding in an opening in the bottom of the casing, is secured a frame, G', with radial arms carrying a series of socketed blocks, c', and adjustable arms, H'. Springs f on each frame throw the arms outward, and an elastic baud, g, encircles and prevents the arms H' from spreading to too great an extent. Each arm H' terminates in a thin blade, h, and is provided with an in clined shoulder, m, and finger t, having a slot, s, through which a cord, i, passes (and through the` slots in all the arms) to one of two parallel vertical shafts, J J', geared together and arranged adjacent to the arms. Each arm H' has a slot, y, adapted to receive the blade h, and terminates at the inner edge in a finger, i. Through the shaft a' extends a shaft,I K, can rying at the upper end a U-shaped bracket, T,

with dowel-pins on which to center the usual.

brim-,block L, and to the latter is adapted the usual head-block M, having a socket to receive the end of a rod, N, sliding through the stud a, and connected at the upper end to a lever, C', above the case..

In suitable bearings turn three shafts, mm1

m2, geared together and provided with camwheels and appliances for operating the pump D, the shafts J J' N a' K, lever C, and cocks in the pipes F F', as fully described hereinafter.

It will not here be necessary to describe fully these appliances, as they will form the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent, and may be modified in many ways to produce the desired movements.

ln the usual process of finishing hat-bodies by hand much time is lost in moving the blocks to andfrom the oven. The hat cools while being removed and cannotbe well blocked. Itis apt to be stretched unequally, so that it is thin at parts and wears uuequally. The tying-cord wears rapidly away and is expensive to replace, and the necessity of Waiting while the blocked body cools after forming delays the operations and increases the expense.

Another objection is the escape of steam from the ovens in removing the hats, the same condensing ou the walls or other places and dropping upon and injuring the hats.

The object of our invention is to remedy these difficulties, which we eii'ect by finishing the hat wholly by automatic appliances in the presence of a surrounding heated atmosphere, which is exhausted from the chamber the instant the heating of the body -is completed.

In carrying out our invention we employ the above devices, or any whereby the same operations may be effected, as follows: The body w is first placed in the brimblock, 'and thc plug or body-block M is placed loosely in the body, as usual.

The arms H H and bracket T being in the position shown in Fi 0. 2, and the door B being open, the brim-block is placed on the bracket matically closed.

carrying the blocks upward and the 'brimvz against the edges of the blades h, Fig. 3, after which the shaft a is elevated, carrying upward the arms H, which, bearing against the rear edges of the blades h, force the latter inward as the edges of the arms H' approach the shoulders .r of the arms H.

As the ends of the arms approach eachother the brim, bearing on the inclined edges u of the blades 7L, is gradually forced inward until the eXtreme edge of the brim, to the extent of about one-fourth of an inch, is firmly griped between the lingers t t', as shown in Fig. 4.

The cock of the pipe is now opened, and the chamber will be fllled with steam, hot air, or other gas or vapor, which will soften the body prior to and during manipulation by the au` tomatic devices.

The shaft K and its blocks now rise, when the brim will be drawn tightly and uniformly over the block and down below the cord-groove to the position shown in Fig. 2, when the shafts J J will rotate and tighten the cord or band against the brim, holding it securely in the groove or below7 the shoulder of the brimblock while the head-block is forced downward by the descent of the shaft N, the lower arms H having meanwhile descended to permit the cord to be drawn tightly.

The cock of the pipe F is now opened, when the steam will exhaust into the condenser E, the door B will be elevated, and the cold air will rush in and chill and set the body in its shape. The shafts J J will then turn in a reverse direction, the cord or band i will be relaxed, the arms H will swing out, and the blocks de-A scend to a position to be removed by the operator, who removes the body and replaces it by another, which is treated like the first.

It will be apparent that the steam exhausted v described for operating on the body while sur- The shaft K then rises,-

rounded by a heated fluid, as various other mechanisms might be employedas radial bars, with nippers for seizing the brim, a clamp or biting-lingers for holding the turned-down brim to the block, &c. We prefer the mechanauism described, however, as it is simple and effective.

We are aware that hats after being stretched and blocked on finishing-blocks have been subjected to the action of v steam in a closed chamber to stiifen the same, and do not claim, broadly, heating hats in a closed chamber; but

1. As an improvement in the manufacture of felt hats, stretching and blocking the same while under the influence of a surrounding fluid heated until the body is formed and set and then cooled.

2. In the manufacture of felt hats, subject.- ing the body while being stretched to the action of a surrounding hot iiuid, and tben displacing said uid b v cold air, as set forth.

3. The combination, with a closed chamber containing the hat stretching and forming mechanism, of a steampipe and pump or its equivalent, whereby steam may be quickly inltroduced into and withdrawn from said chainber, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the crown and rim forming blocks, of gripers arranged around the same and appliances whereby said blocks and gripers are operated to draw the brim over .the brim-block and the crown-block is then forced in, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the blocks and gripers, of a cord or band and appliances for tightening the same after the brim has been drawn over the block, as set forth.

6. The combination ofthe arms H H', blocks and cord t, carried by one set of arms, substantially as set forth.

7. The arms H, having blades h, in.V combivnation with the slotted arms H and blocksupporting appliances, and with operatin g devices, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this speciiication in the presence of' two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. HOUSE. DWIGHT WHEELER. XVitnesses HARRY A. HoUsE, Jr., ALFRED B. BnERs. 

